The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-04-02
MODERN Old MAIDS.
They are Jolly aud Coed .Natured, and
Dress in Exqutstte Taste.

According to the idea of things which
prevailed not so very long ago. the wo-
man who did not marry was blighted
being. Ii did not matter whether she
RENAME single from choice or neces-
sity; for since IL was considered wo-
man's only manifest and unalterable
destiny TO marry. she must of course. be
regarded as failure in life il she did
not do this. And though she may have
refused forty offers of marriage. or have
had the most imperative duties Of any
sort. or developed the most decided tai
ent for some vocation in life other than
marriage yet neither one nor all of these
would have been accepted as n valid
reason why she should not follow what
society had decided was the only proper
course in life for her.
From this condition of things there
arose in literature aud minds of the peo-
Pile In general the typical "old maid. ="
She was always pictured as gaunt.
angular, and forbidding in appearance,
morose and ill-tempered in disposition,
as became blighted and disappointed
being; hating youth aud pleasure of all
sorts. with special grudge against
iovemaking aud lovers. since they re-
minded her of her own vanished youth
and the opportunities which she never
had, or, having. had neglected.
But we have changed all that in these
later DAYS. With the education of wo-
men and the broadening of their oppor-
tunities in every way their destinies have
broadenod also A woman is still. per-
haps. expected first to marry. aud Il Is
best for her that she should. provided
her marriage can be n happy and suita-
BILE one. But If from her own choice,
or "A necessity arising from a lack of APP
probation ON the part of the other and
more stupid sex, she remains at the end
of her days what someone calls an ''un-
claimed blessing" she Is no longer con-
sidered. from this circumstance alone,
failure and an unhappy creature. She
IN no longer doomed to life of depen-
dence in the house of another, for a
score OF yocations are open To her. In
any one of which she may win liveli-
hood or even competence. Consequent
IL she commands respect and. far from
being a subject of contempt or pity. she
is more likely the object of open or Sc
cret envy on the part OF most of her
married acquaintances.
And so il has come about that the
typical old maid of former times has
passed away, aud in the literature OF to-
day we find new types conforming to
the new facts of the case aud quite diff
I ferent from the old. The modern old
maid is not angular aud forbidding in
appearance. but plump aud pleasing.
/ She is not moruse and ill-tempered. but
{ jolly aud 2ood-natured to an extent that
/ makes her the best of company. A:
/ she has never had the absorbing cares
I that come with marriage. and has nc
+ family of sons and daughters growing
/ up about her to remind her of the tiighl
of years. she has naturally forgotten tC
/ grow old, aud young people regard hel
Z rs one OF themselves when good time,
are beng planned; while in the mattel
f of lovers and love making she has haC
I that experience which makes her simpl,
invaluable as coniidante and adviser
aud she is the repository of all the Sc
crets of this sort which exist within TN,
/ range OF her acquaitance. She dresse,
/ in exquisite taste. she pets "A pug dog ol
/ white cat. IA golden beetle. or what
ever animal fashion may dictate; il
idolized by her family; especially heI
young nephews; has hosts OF admirers
bur is discretion and propriety personi
fed; is the guiding spirit in orphan
asyums. hospit i fairs. associated
charity matters. and other good works
i and. in short, lives out to the end of he
days a happy. useful. well-rounded ex
istence. = .tiCdUkee telegraph.